Carnival Celebration - New Venues?

[SNJCruisers]

Looking forward to Bar 820.  Looks like an improvement over Bar Della Rossa, which was basically an 8th floor Java Blue with alcohol, but no drinks specific to that bar.

Have to agree about the partial duplication with the Havana Bar.  Either way, looking forward to my 3 sailings on her next year starting in January.

[crazy4themouse]

18 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

I don’t think a ship out of Miami with a Miami theme is a good idea. Just the same way I wouldn’t put a New Orleans theme in New Orleans. I think a Vegas theme out of Miami and save the Miami for the Texas ship.

 

Bleh, no thanks... A Miami theme on the Jubilee wouldn't interest this Texan in any way!

 

 

[Saint Greg]

3 minutes ago, crazy4themouse said:

 

Bleh, no thanks... A Miami theme on the Jubilee wouldn't interest this Texan in any way!

 

 

Let me guess a Texas theme?

[crazy4themouse]

11 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

Let me guess a Texas theme?

 

Not necessarily, lol. I just can't see getting excited in any way shape or form about a Miami theme... it means nothing to me. Just like I doubt anyone in Miami would care about a Houston theme or a Dallas theme or something like that. Maybe that's just me? I think something broader like the "global tastes" or even more narrow like the Cuban theme, but "Miami" seems so specific to me.

 

[Saint Greg]

1 hour ago, crazy4themouse said:

 

Not necessarily, lol. I just can't see getting excited in any way shape or form about a Miami theme... it means nothing to me. Just like I doubt anyone in Miami would care about a Houston theme or a Dallas theme or something like that. Maybe that's just me? I think something broader like the "global tastes" or even more narrow like the Cuban theme, but "Miami" seems so specific to me.

 

 

They've kind of already done Cuba with Havana.

[SNJCruisers]

2 hours ago, crazy4themouse said:

 

Bleh, no thanks... A Miami theme on the Jubilee wouldn't interest this Texan in any way!

 

 

The real question though is are you interested in going to Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatan every week of the year with 7 day sailings and zero other options on the Jubilee?  Once the new ship sales slow down, Carnival had better switch things up and turn it into 10/11 day sailings for part of the year, thus being able to visit the ABC's.

[SNJCruisers]

2 hours ago, crazy4themouse said:

I think something broader like the "global tastes" or even more narrow like the Cuban theme, but "Miami" seems so specific to me.

 

 

1 hour ago, Saint Greg said:

 

They've kind of already done Cuba with Havana.

And the French Quarter is going to be taken over by the global theme, as was reported to me by one of the bartenders at the Fortune Teller Bar when we sailed on the MG last month.  He said that Fortune Teller would be replaced with a drinks of the world theme, but he did not know what would happen to Brass Magnolia or Emeril's.

[Saint Greg]

5 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

The real question though is are you interested in going to Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatan every week of the year with 7 day sailings and zero other options on the Jubilee?  Once the new ship sales slow down, Carnival had better switch things up and turn it into 10/11 day sailings for part of the year, thus being able to visit the ABC's.

 

Surely they're going to at least mix in Belize when their new port comes online. Right now I don't think many people are cruising Mardi Gras for the ports. I'd sign up for two weeks on Jubilee just for the ship.

[Saint Greg]

3 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

 

And the French Quarter is going to be taken over by the global theme, as was reported to me by one of the bartenders at the Fortune Teller Bar when we sailed on the MG last month.  He said that Fortune Teller would be replaced with a drinks of the world theme, but he did not know what would happen to Brass Magnolia or Emeril's.

 

I read that somewhere. I think this thread.

[SNJCruisers]

1 minute ago, Saint Greg said:

 

Surely they're going to at least mix in Belize when their new port comes online. Right now I don't think many people are cruising Mardi Gras for the ports. I'd sign up for two weeks on Jubilee just for the ship.

I sailed her for the ship just like I will sail her for the ship again over labor day.  But at least the MG and the Celebration have multiple port options to mix and match between.  The Jubilee is stuck with the same 3 ports week in and week out, which will increase to 4 once they could include Belize.  Still has less flexibility then the other two Excel Class ships.

Because of the difficulty getting to Galveston I will never sail on her until she changes embarkation ports.  Would love to know the percentage of people that drive versus fly that embark from there.  I would guesstimate at least 80% drive.

[Saint Greg]

21 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

I sailed her for the ship just like I will sail her for the ship again over labor day.  But at least the MG and the Celebration have multiple port options to mix and match between.  The Jubilee is stuck with the same 3 ports week in and week out, which will increase to 4 once they could include Belize.  Still has less flexibility then the other two Excel Class ships.

Because of the difficulty getting to Galveston I will never sail on her until she changes embarkation ports.  Would love to know the percentage of people that drive versus fly that embark from there.  I would guesstimate at least 80% drive.

 

I don't recommend people from the northeast travel to Galveston to cruise. Or anyone who has to fly. I don't think they're targeting you for that ship. Do you want every Excel class ship in Florida?

[brilliantseas]

23 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

I don’t think a ship out of Miami with a Miami theme is a good idea. Just the same way I wouldn’t put a New Orleans theme in New Orleans. I think a Vegas theme out of Miami and save the Miami for the Texas ship.

 

Give it a few years and the Miami ship will be based in New Orleans (okay, maybe not. NOLA isn't LNG-ready...) and the Texas ship will end up in Port Canaveral. #shipshuffle

 

 

[brilliantseas]

1 hour ago, Saint Greg said:

 

I don't recommend people from the northeast travel to Galveston to cruise. Or anyone who has to fly. I don't think they're targeting you for that ship. Do you want every Excel class ship in Florida?

 

Galveston is a nightmare port for ground transportation, parking, and embarkation. It, along with New Orleans, are my least favorite Carnival embarkation ports. With that being said, I'm booked on Jubilee in December 2023. 

[Saint Greg]

1 minute ago, brilliantseas said:

 

Give it a few years and the Miami ship will be based in New Orleans (okay, maybe not. NOLA isn't LNG-ready...) and the Texas ship will end up in Port Canaveral. #shipshuffle

 

 

 

They downgraded New Orleans from Dream to Glory. I don't see them getting an Excel ship anytime soon.

[Saint Greg]

13 minutes ago, brilliantseas said:

 

Galveston is a nightmare port for ground transportation, parking, and embarkation. It, along with New Orleans, are my least favorite Carnival embarkation ports. With that being said, I'm booked on Jubilee in December 2023. 

 

That's interesting. I like those two and Long Beach better than Fort Lauderdale and Orlando. Fort Lauderdale my lyft driver made a wrong turn by the parking garage and the traffic was so bad it took him an additional half hour to get back to me. Orlando the car line to turn into the port was ridiculous in August at half capacity. I can't imagine what it is now. The sound system in the port was so bad workers were having to hold up fingers to show people which group was called to board. I haven't been to Miami but it seems like the ports with the most ships are the problem ones so I'm not expecting to love it.

 

The reason I don't recommend Galveston for people flying is because it's an hour from the airport. It has nothing to do with the port itself. Similar situations exist in Long Beach and Port Canaveral.

 

 

Edited March 24, 2022 by Saint Greg

[SNJCruisers]

1 hour ago, Saint Greg said:

 

I don't recommend people from the northeast travel to Galveston to cruise. Or anyone who has to fly. I don't think they're targeting you for that ship. Do you want every Excel class ship in Florida?

No, not at all.  The Galveston market is for those that can drive within 12 hours or so, covering the south central area of the US.  But it would be nice if there is a fourth Excel Class ship that at least during parts of the year it sails out of NYC.

[SNJCruisers]

24 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

The reason I don't recommend Galveston for people flying is because it's an hour from the airport. It has nothing to do with the port itself. Similar situations exist in Long Beach and Port Canaveral.

Isn't that if you're flying into Hobby?  If you fly into Bush, it takes 75-90 minutes depending upon traffic?

[sid_9169]

I guess that I'm in the minority here, as I think that this is a genius move... Miami is one of the most vibrant cities in the World, as well as the cruise capitol of the World... 

[Saint Greg]

10 minutes ago, sid_9169 said:

I guess that I'm in the minority here, as I think that this is a genius move... Miami is one of the most vibrant cities in the World, as well as the cruise capitol of the World... 

 

But do you think a ship sailing out of Miami should have the Miami theme? I know the Mardi Gras parades they have on Mardi Gras wouldn't impress anyone from New Orleans for instance. I think it does better in Orlando where they don't have those things.

 

Edited March 24, 2022 by Saint Greg

[sid_9169]

4 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

 

But do you think a ship sailing out of Miami should have the Miami theme? I know the Mardi Gras parades they have on Mardi Gras wouldn't impress anyone from New Orleans for instance. I think it does better in Orlando where they don't have those things.

 

One of my favorite things about cruising out of Miami IS the city itself... I feel like this is a great way to extend the style and sophistication out onto the cruise itself... (By the way, I can't believe that on the dozen or more cruises you've done, that you've never sailed from the Magic City...)

[Saint Greg]

5 minutes ago, sid_9169 said:

One of my favorite things about cruising out of Miami IS the city itself... I feel like this is a great way to extend the style and sophistication out onto the cruise itself... (By the way, I can't believe that on the dozen or more cruises you've done, that you've never sailed from the Magic City...)

 

But most of the people on that ship aren't from Atlanta. If they pull the numbers I bet most are from Florida. Do you think someone from Miami would want to be on a Miami themed ship?

[Eli_6]

On 1/16/2022 at 1:17 PM, ray985 said:

I've been searching and can't find any leaks or hints anywhere. No new trademarks, web pages, or anything like that.

 

When the Jubilee was announced, they said specifically they'd be retheming several "zones." Based on the Celebration deck plans, that looks like the French Quarter and La Piazza will be rethemed with new restaurants. The French Quarter is the most surprising to me because most people see to save about the Fortune Teller Bar and Brass Magnolia. I figured they'd be new staples in the whole line, but I guess not. 

 

Don't know when we'll get to find out. On Mardi Gras, they didn't announce ChiBang until about a month before sailing. 

Oh no!!!  I loved the Fortune Teller and the Brass Magnolia and also that restaraunt with the Cajun food.  I am so bummed. 

[Saint Greg]

9 minutes ago, sid_9169 said:

One of my favorite things about cruising out of Miami IS the city itself... I feel like this is a great way to extend the style and sophistication out onto the cruise itself... (By the way, I can't believe that on the dozen or more cruises you've done, that you've never sailed from the Magic City...)

 

I just googled The Magic City and the top result was a strip club in Atlanta.

[Saint Greg]

11 minutes ago, sid_9169 said:

One of my favorite things about cruising out of Miami IS the city itself... I feel like this is a great way to extend the style and sophistication out onto the cruise itself... (By the way, I can't believe that on the dozen or more cruises you've done, that you've never sailed from the Magic City...)

 

Dozen? #20 will be from Miami. Actually #14 was supposed to be but then this thing called COVID-19 happened.

[crazy4themouse]

3 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

The real question though is are you interested in going to Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatan every week of the year with 7 day sailings and zero other options on the Jubilee?  Once the new ship sales slow down, Carnival had better switch things up and turn it into 10/11 day sailings for part of the year, thus being able to visit the ABC's.

 

 

3 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

 

Surely they're going to at least mix in Belize when their new port comes online. Right now I don't think many people are cruising Mardi Gras for the ports. I'd sign up for two weeks on Jubilee just for the ship.

 

Most of the sailings from here already go to Belize... But we sail for the ship anyway. Not saying it wouldn't be very nice to have some options to do a 10/11 nighter once in a while to someplace new, but we'd generally be happy if the ship did donuts in the ocean for a week. 🙂 

 

But I agree about people flying in to cruise out of Galveston -- It has to be a huge hassle. We're incredibly lucky in that we live <30 miles from the terminal so it's very easy for us to go hop on a ship. Securing the time off and saving up the $$ is another story, lol, but at least getting there is easy.